1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to improvements in recoil reducers for firearms and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to recoil reducers for firearms that are fired from the shoulder.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
As is well known in the art, a rifle or shotgun will recoil rearwardly to give the familiar "kick" to the shoulder of the user when the firearm is discharged. Often this kick will be of a magnitude that the user of the firearm finds objectionable and, because of this, many inventors have turned their attention toward developing recoil reducers that limit the maximum thrust that the firearm exerts to the shoulder. In general, these recoil reducers permit major portions of the firearm to move relative to portions held against the user's shoulder so that the force of the recoil is spread out over a period of time rather than being delivered as a sharp blow to the shoulder.
As a result of these inventive efforts, a variety of types of recoil reducers are known. These vary in construction from simple spring systems, either mechanical or pneumatic, to relatively sophisticated devices such as the hydraulic recoil absorber disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,233,354 issued Feb. 8, 1966 to Ahearn. In this latter recoil reducer, the stock of the firearm is divided into two members, a butt piece which is placed against the user's shoulder, and a forepiece which is fixed to remaining portions of the firearm. A hydraulic cylinder and piston sliding in the cylinder connect these two portions of the stock and hydraulic fluid is permitted to escape about the piston to permit relative motion between the two portions of the stock while concurrently controlling such motion to absorb the recoil.
While prior art recoil reducers, the hydraulic type in particular, can in principle be very effective recoil absorption devices, problems arise in their application. Firearms are available in a range of calibers and gauges and their recoil characteristics will vary with the type of ammunition that the firearm is designed to use. Similarly, the constuction of the individual firearm will have an effect upon its recoil characteristics; in particular, the weight of a firearm is an important factor in the way it will recoil when it is fired. Moreover, a selection of different types of ammunition will often be commercially available for a particular caliber or gauge of firearm so that the shooter can select his ammunition in accordance with the purpose for which his firearm is to be used. In addition, he may load his own ammunition to obtain particular ballistics or firing characteristics. The choice of ammunition used in a particular firearm will also have an effect upon its recoil characteristics. Since the effectiveness of a recoil reducer will be determined by the degree to which its characteristics are matched to the recoil characteristics of the firearm upon which it is mounted, these variations in the recoil characteristics have, in the past, limited the effectiveness of recoil reducers. A recoil reducer suitable for one firearm using a particular type of ammunition may, or may not, be appropriate for another firearm using the same or different ammunition.